Jyotika was one of the leading actresses of the Tamil cine industry in the late 90s to early 2000s before she married star actor Suriya in 2006. Since then Jyotika has been selective about doing movies, be it in Tamil or other languages. Suriya and Jyotika shifted base to Mumbai a few years ago, yet Suriya was spotted along with brother Karthi and father Sivakumar at a polling booth in Chennai, during Tamil Nadu's phase of the Indian General Elections 2024 voting.
Jyotika was recently promoting her Hindi OTT series Shaitaan in Chennai, and during the same the Tamil press questioned on her absence during voting season. To say that Jyotika fumbled this one, especially for a public figure vocal about social issues, would be an understatement. The actress replied,
"I vote year after year. Somtimes (she is corrected at this point that the general elections take place once in every 5 years) yes 5 years sorry. But I'm saying sometimes you can be outstation, sometimes for a work we can be out, we can be sick, it's like a private thing. Sometimes you're not always there in town also. So, I don't know.
Sometimes privately also we vote, it (the voting) is there online too right? So it is not always everything everytime is publicized. There is a private side to life also. So I think we have to also respect that and give that space."
Jyotika is a born Muslim, who has previously been critical about the donations given to Hindu temples (in the sense that that money could be put to use for other charitable purposes). Naturally, the far-right wingers of the country have the actress under their scanner. Expectedly, Jyotika's justification on being an absentee voter had them descend in hordes, and level her with their sarcasm and severe criticisms.
A gist of the same has been curated below:
Ms Jyotika on why she didn't vote:
— Kasturi (@KasthuriShankar) May 4, 2024
'Sometimes we are not in town'.
'We have a private life'
'Online voting is there, not everything is publicised'
Meanwhile we- who waited in the sun all day to vote..😠
And me - who paid to change date on USA flight to after election..😭 pic.twitter.com/JZTCDVF5KO
Forced to assume now that her 'socially conscious ' speeches on other occassions must have been scripted.
— Kasturi (@KasthuriShankar) May 4, 2024
Such ill-informed, uneducated, irresponsible people are celebs in our country, who's idolized by our youth
— JyotiKarma🚩🇮🇳 (@JyotiKarma7) May 4, 2024
Tamil celeb, Jyotika who chose to holiday during Loksabha elections, she's claiming she votes every year and she can vote online🙄 pic.twitter.com/pSiudA46qa
Yes there is online voting system applicable, but listen to her speech what she said..
— Johnny (@Johnny46971338) May 3, 2024
The online voting was there for absentee voters during covid . Not anymore I believe
— Vaishach (@Vaishach) May 3, 2024
Boycott them , why give publicity?
— Gayatri Krishnan( MODI KA PARIVAAR) (@Gayatri14738317) May 3, 2024
@ECISVEEP When @Suriya_offl's wife #Jyotika 🤡 can vote online then why can't we..?#Election2024 pic.twitter.com/WdKSlzQ7Qs
— Mr_Platonicc (@Mr_Platonicc) May 4, 2024
Come on Kishore you are so old school Jyotika was awarded the right to vote online. The only person among a Billion voters. Stop this jealousy man. #ISupportDravadianModel as long as it doesn't interfere with my holidays or teaching Hindi to my children so I can launch them in…
— Arun Pudur (@arunpudur) May 3, 2024
#WATCH | Netizens Troll Jyotika For Claiming 'Online & Private Voting' In Tamil Nadu LS Polls: 'Talking About Bigg Boss Or Indian Idol?'#Vote #TamilNadu #Jyotika #Election #LokSabhaElection2024 #LokSabha #India pic.twitter.com/6XQd3jVBbk
— Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) May 4, 2024
எது online vote இருக்கா? நாடாளமன்ற தேர்தலுக்கு?
— ராஜாதி ராஜா( மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@rajaveerakudi) May 3, 2024
ஆத்தி, இத்தாத்தண்டி அறிவு மசுரு வச்சுக்கிட்டு தான் தஞ்சை பெரிய கோவிலுக்கு பதிலா ஆஸ்பத்திரி கட்டலாம்னு சொன்னியா!
ஆத்தா நீ புரட்சிய உங்க வீட்ல வச்சிரு ஆத்தா pic.twitter.com/xw1KgUWGVA
— Sailormacha (@sailormacha1) May 3, 2024